


Perfect

by helsinkibaby



Series: Right Beside Me Around Every Turn [17]
Category: The Flying Doctors
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Babies, Canon Het Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Het, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-15 03:28:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14150973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: Tom's held hundreds of babies, but this one is different.





	Perfect

As a doctor, Tom has delivered hundreds of babies, has held hundreds more. It's always a miracle, always special, but the baby he's holding today might just be the most special one of all. 

Because she's his. 

He holds the baby close to his chest, hardly able to take his eyes off her, the way her eyes are closed, one little fist curled up under her chin. Her lips are slightly parted, turned up in what he wants to call a smile but what he knows is more than likely wind. He reaches up, runs a finger down her cheek, marvelling at the softness of her skin, and maybe she is smiling because her lips definitely twitch. Instinct, his scientific, doctor's mind tells him; his besotted new father's mind doesn't care, he just thinks it's adorable. 

"Oh, so that's how it is then?" He turns at the sound of Chris's soft voice, his heart skipping a beat all over again at the look he sees on his wife's face. She's pale, her face drawn and there are dark circles under her eyes but her smile is positively luminous. "I've been replaced in your affections."

Tom shakes his head. "Never." Crossing the room, he sits down beside her on the bed, kissing the top of her head. She leans her cheek against his shoulder, reaches out to pull the edge of the blanket down, a quiet chuckle escaping when she sees the expression on the baby's face. "Out like a light," Tom whispers and he takes advantage of that fact to lean in and brush his lips over hers. 

When he pulls back, he carefully lifts one hand from holding the baby, moves it to her cheek. Her eyes flutter shut and her breath leaves her lips in a sigh. "You're ok?" he asks and she opens her eyes, nodding her head quickly. 

"I'm fine," she tells him. "Tired... sore..." All to be expected, and not exactly what he's been worrying about since the first pregnancy test came back positive. As a doctor, he knows he's being ridiculous, knows her heart condition is fully cured, knows there had never been any danger to her. As a husband, he'll admit he was nervous. "But look at her, Tom... look how perfect she is." That beaming smile is back again, and Tom doesn't think he'll ever get tired of seeing it. "I can't wait to get her home... just the three of us." 

Tom knows that what she means is that she hates being in the hospital, wants to get home to their own house. What actually happens, sure as day follows night, is that the universe, or rather the all-knowing, all-seeing Cooper's Crossing Bush Telegraph realises that it actually has been just the three of them for over an hour and decides that that just won't do. Because right as Chris finishes speaking, there's a gentle knock on the door, followed by a second's pause before it opens and Nancy's head peeks through. 

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" The older woman sounds as worried as she looks and Tom shoots Chris a look that he hopes conveys the message, "you jinxed us" before he smiles at her. 

"Come in," he says and Nancy doesn't have to be asked twice. As she approaches the bed, Tom notices she has something in her hands. 

"I wanted to bring this over," she says, holding up the tiniest white cardigan Tom thinks he's ever seen in his life. "It's a matinee jacket," she continues, which is news to Tom, because he'd always just called them cardigans. "For when you bring her home." 

"It's beautiful." Since Tom's arms are full of baby, Chris takes the cardigan. A curious frown appears on her face as she runs her finger down the line of pink buttons in the centre. "How did you know it was a girl?"

Nancy looks at her like she's gone crazy. "I ordered both colours of buttons," she tells them and Tom has to look down to hide his smile at her thoughtfulness. "Put the pink ones on the second word came through. Oh, don't worry, I'll use the blue ones eventually. Maybe for a little brother?" 

Chris laughs softly. "We'll have to see about that." Then, because Nancy is standing right beside the bed, craning her neck to peer at the baby, Chris nudges Tom, inclines her head in Nancy's direction. He gets her meaning straight away, lifting one eyebrow just to be sure, and when she nods, he stands up. 

"Here you go, Nancy," he says. "Why don't you be the first one to hold Cooper's Crossing's newest resident?" 

"Oh I couldn't..." But it's purely a ceremonial protest, Nancy's hands are already reaching for the child even as she's speaking. 

"Sure you could... honorary grannies have to get a cuddle." There's a soft gasp of pleasure at the title and Tom could swear the woman swells at least three inches in height. 

"Oh, she's just precious," she coos. "Do you have a name yet?" 

Tom sits back down beside Chris, slides his arm around her shoulders and squeezes, letting her take this one. "Sarah," she says. "Sarah Randall Callaghan." 

"Sarah... oh what a beautiful name." Nancy is rapt, her eyes shining. "And Randall too... it's perfect. Just like her." 

Chris leans into Tom and he lets his head rest on top of hers. "Yeah," he says softly so that only she can hear. "Perfect."


End file.
